Simpson Associates Training Courses Brochure

Overview

Simpson Associates have a high success rate in transferring skills to our customers using experienced and accredited trainers. We design, build and deliver standard and bespoke training courses on key concepts or focused on the IBM Cognos, Microsoft or BOARD MIT software. The courses can be tailored to the needs of end users or administrators if you require them to be and can be delivered at our York Customer Centre or at your own location.

Client Feedback

“A wonderful course the trainer was amazing at answering any queries. She was extremely helpful and I would definitely recommend it.”

Priyanka PatelStudent Systems Development OfficeUniversity of Sussex

IBM Cognos Business Intelligence

Impromptu Administrator Series 7.5

This course is designed for those who will be involved in the administrative development, support and maintenance of Impromptu. It will provide you with IBM Cognos 7.5 BI Impromptu administration capability, which will enable you to effectively plan, develop, deploy effective Impromptu reports within your organization. The course builds a catalogue from scratch using a data source. You will review the role of Impromptu within your environment and be able to identify when it is the correct tool to deploy.

Cognos 8, 10 & 11

Administrator

This course is designed for those who will be involved in the administration of IBM Cognos BI. It starts with an overview of the environment and moves on to securing the environment using authentication and setting access permissions for end users. Students will learn how to create data sources and understand how to use deployments as part of backup and migration strategies. They will also understand how they can manage the overall system identifying usage and potential problem areas. Logging and its use is fully explored from understanding how to use the logging viewer and running the audit reports, to seeing how the system is being used and by whom. The course ends with an optional module on Transformer, used to publish cubes automatically.

Transformer/OLAP Modelling

This course is designed for those who will be involved in the administrative development, support and maintenance of cubes. It also covers how to publish cubes as a package in the Cognos environment. It will provide you with Cognos BI Transformer administration capability, which will enable you to effectively plan, develop, deploy and support cube applications within your organisation. The course builds a cube from scratch using Cognos reports as data sources. We show you how to publish cubes to your Cognos environment and use our best practice methods when scheduling cube builds.

Framework Manager

This instructor-led series of workshops teaches the key points of modelling your data in Framework Manager. In this intensive day through hands-on workshops, attendees will learn how to use best practice when building packages over star-schema data. Starting with the basics of navigating your way around Framework Manager it moves on to show how to model your data relationally and dimensionally. The latter workshops cover differing ways of handling security in your packages.

Query Studio

This course will provide participants with a thorough understanding of the functionality available in Query Studio. This instructor-led course shows participants how to create, modify and organise ad-hoc reports. The course covers how to use different report capabilities, how to graphically display the data and how to create reports with a consistent look and feel through the use of templates. There will be extensive hands on experience with each delegate building their own reports and learning how to schedule the running of those reports automatically.

Analytics 11 Reporting

This course will provide participants with an understanding of the functionality available in Report Studio. The course shows participants report building techniques using relational data models, and ways of enhancing, customising, and managing professional reports. Attendees will participate in hands-on demos and workshops that illustrate key concepts, whilst learning how to use the product. Topics covered will include: reporting on specific data using filters, linking reports together, adding user interactivity with prompts, designing sophisticated reports using adaptive layouts, combining two related reports into one, displaying separate report pages for different query items,creating customised data items, using calculations, customising reports with conditional formatting, understanding and modifying the query models that underlie reports created in Report Studio and discussing the best practices for report design.

Training Courses: Business Intelligence

“The course has made me confident that I will get the most from Cognos in the future”

Sam HasteAnalyst, Auto Trader

Multidimensional Report Authoring

This instructor-led course guides participants through the intricacies of using Cognos Analytics with dimensionally modelled data. You will learn how to author reports that navigate and manipulate dimensional data structures using the specific dimensional functions and features available. This course builds on the techniques learnt in the Cognos Analytics Reporting course. Topics covered include: Dimensional concepts, sets and tuples, dimensional reporting context, focusing your dimensional data, calculations and dimensional functions, specific functions for navigating dimensional hierarchies, relative functions, advanced drilling techniques and member sets and setting up drill through functions.

Analysis Studio

This instructor-led course teaches business analysts to navigate and analyse data in Analysis Studio through a combination of lectures and hands-on workshops, attendees will discover trends, identify opportunities, and learn how to make better business decisions. Participants will learn techniques such as ranking, filtering, asymmetrical crosstabs, and graphing to help them analyse large volumes of data (whether OLAP or dimensionally modelled relational metadata). They will also learn to manage reports through Cognos Connection. Attendees will participate in hands-on demos and workshops that illustrate key concepts while learning how to use the product.

Cognos 10

Authoring Active Reports

This is an advanced, two-day, instructor-led course in which students will build on their Report Studio experience by using active report controls to build highly interactive reports that can be consumed by users. Participants will learn through a series of demonstrations and workshops to author active reports containing pre-packaged data which can be distributed and viewed by users where a data source is not available. This course builds on advanced report authoring skills and contains many independent workshop exercises.

Cognos Workspace

This is a part-day, instructor-led training course that teaches dashboard concepts using IBM Cognos Workspace. In this course, users will learn how to leverage pre-existing report content in a Cognos Workspace dashboard and using basic Cognos Workspace functionality, will be able to modify content and organise and share dashboards with others.

Cognos Workspace Advanced

This instructor-led training course will develop the skills the participants will need to use IBM Cognos Workspace Advanced to create effective reports with relational and dimensional data. Through interactive demonstrations and workshops, this course will present topics related to creating reports with IBM Cognos Workspace Advanced for the business author.

“The trainer was very flexible in his delivery. Although the course had a clear progressive structure, he was able to run it in an interactive way and respond effectively to participants’ questions.

Steve WilliamsSenior Project Management, University of Central Lancashire

Price 2018 I 2019 Courses

Cost*All courses are £1500 per day

*Cost is subject to courses being run in ourAzure environment. Preconfigured laptopsare available for £350.

Microsoft Business Intelligence

Simpson Associates End User Courses

Simpson Associates offer the following bespoke, Microsoft courses aimed at end users, which come with training materials and are delivered by experienced consultants.

Microsoft Report Builder 2.0

This course will provide participants with a fundamental understanding of the functionality available in Microsoft SQL Server Report Builder 2.0. This instructor-led course shows participants report building techniques using relational data models and ways of enhancing, customizing, and managing professional reports. Attendees will participate in hands-on demos and workshops that illustrate key concepts, whilst learning how to use the product.

Authoring Reports in Microsoft Report Builder 3.0

This course will provide participants with a fundamental understanding of the functionality available in Microsoft SQL Server Report Builder 3.0. This instructor led course shows participants report building techniques using relational data models, and ways of enhancing, customizing, and managing professional reports. Attendees will participate in hands-on demos and workshops that illustrate key concepts, whilst learning how to use the product.

Analysing Business Intelligence Data with Excel 2007

This course will provide participants with a fundamental understanding of the functionality available in Microsoft Excel 2007 and complimentary products. This instructor-led course shows participants analysis techniques using Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services’ cubes and ways of enhancing, customizing and managing information. Attendees will participate in hands-on demos and workshops that illustrate key concepts, whilst learning how to use the product.

Analysing Business Intelligence Data with Excel 2010

This course will provide participants with a fundamentalunderstanding of the functionality available in Microsoft Excel 2010 and complimentary products. This instructor-led course shows participants analysis techniques using Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services’ cubes and ways of enhancing, customizing and managing information. Attendees will participate in hands-on demos and workshops that illustrate key concepts, whilst learning how to use the product.

Analysing Business Intelligence Data with Excel 2013

This course will provide participants with a fundamental understanding of the functionality available in Microsoft Excel 2013 and complimentary products. This instructor-led course shows participants analysis techniques using Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services’ cubes and ways of enhancing, customizing and managing information. Attendees will participate in hands-on demos and workshops that illustrate key concepts, whilst learning how to use the product.

Training Courses: Business Intelligence

Days Cost*1 £1500

1 £1500

1 £1500

1 £1500

1 £1500

Prices List 2018 I 2019Courses Authoring Reports in Microsoft Report Builder 2.0

Authoring Reports in Microsoft Report Builder 3.0

Analysing Business Intelligence Data with Excel 2007

Analysing Business Intelligence Data with Excel 2010

Analysing Business Intelligence Data with Excel 2013

*Cost is subject to courses being run in ourAzure environment. Preconfigured laptopsare available for £350.

“Over 90% of our staff rated the course content, delivery and trainer as either Good or Excellent.”

Steve Turner, European SalesTraining Manager, ACCO Brands

Microsoft Official Courses

Simpson Associates offer the following Microsoft Official Courses aimed at administrators, which come with certification training materials and are delivered by Microsoft Certified Trainers.

2012 Days

Business IntelligenceCourse 10777: Authoring Reports in Microsoft

Report Builder 3.05

Course 10778: Implementing Data Models and Reportswith Microsoft SQL Server 2012

5

Course 20465: Designing Business Intelligence Solutions with Microsoft SQL Server 2012

5

Data AdministrationCourse 10776 Developing Microsoft SQL

Server 2012 Databases5

Course 20465 Designing Database Solutions for Microsoft SQL Server 2012

5

DeveloperCourse 10774: Querying Microsoft SQL Server 2012 5

Course 10775: Administering Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Databases

5

2008Business IntelligenceCourse 6234A: Implementing and Maintaining Microsoft

SQL Server 2008 Analysis Services3

Course 6235A: Implementing and Maintaining MicrosoftSQL Server 2008 Integration Services

3

Course 6236A: Implementing and Maintaining MicrosoftSQL Server 2008 Reporting Services

3

Data AdministrationCourse 6231A Maintaining a Microsoft SQL

Server 2008 Database5

Course 6317A Upgrading Your SQL Server 2000 Database Administration (DBA) Skills to SQL Server 2008 DBA Skills

3

Course 50400A Designing, Optimizing, and Maintaining a Database Administrative Solution for Microsoft SQL Server 2008

5

Developer Course 2778A: Writing Queries Using Microsoft

SQL Server 2008 Transact-SQL3

Course 6158C Updating your SQL Server 2005 Skills to SQL Server 2008

3

Course 6232A Implementing a Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Database

5

Course 50401A Designing and Optimizing Database Solutions with Microsoft SQL Server 2008

5

“The training Simpson Associates provided was highly relevant, helpful and comprehensive. They never assumed any prior experience and were always happy to go over points again.”

Rebecca Foster Central Services Accountant, Bettys & Taylors of Harrogate

IBM Cognos Planning

Principles of TM1 Performance Modeller

This two day instructor lead course will provide participants with sufficient understanding of the model authoring tool IBM TM1 Performance Modeller. The course covers the design and build of business models, flowcharting and automation. Participants will learn the data modelling process and participate in model design and hands-on building.

Contributor End User

The course will provide participants with a thorough understanding of the end user functionality available in the product IBM Cognos Contributor. Each course will be extensively tailored to your requirements, focusing on areas which are particularly relevant to your organisation. You will gain knowledge on how to edit data, manipulate data, annotate, submit and reject budgets as well as how to export data to excel and refresh data in excel templates.

Course documentation will be produced that is specific to your application. The first part of the documentation contains details of the user interface functionality. The second part contains information on each of the tabs available in your application; this comprises the purpose of the tab, the data flow and modifications expected by the end user. A pdf version of the document will be left with you, in order that you can then train any new contributor users.

Contributor Developer

The course will provide participants with a thorough understanding of the functionality available in the product IBM Cognos Contributor. Each course will be tailored to your requirements, focusing on areas which are particularly relevant to your organisation. You will gain knowledge on how to design, deploy and maintain a Contributor model. This will include how to import data, maintain the workflow, automate processes, and troubleshoot issues. There will be extensive hands on experience with each delegate creating and configuring a Contributor application based on the case study model built during the analyst course. This course also covers the content from the course IBM Cognos Contributor End User Training using the case study.

Analyst

The course will provide participants with a thorough understanding of the functionality available in the products IBM Cognos Analyst and IBM Cognos Manager. Each course will be tailored to your requirements, focusing on areas which are particularly relevant to your organisation. You will gain knowledge on how to build a model, import data, automate processes, build manager screens, troubleshoot issues and use the Add-In for Excel. There will be extensive hands on experience with each delegate building a profit and loss model; comprising sales margin analysis, payroll and rolling forecasts.

Training Courses: Planning & Forecasting

“The course was adaptable toallow excellent benefits to all of ourdelegates. It was definitely worthwhile and will be very relevant to our work. ”

Ian MeekHead of Finance, Brenntag

Days Cost*1.5 £2250

2 £3000

2 £3000

2 £3000

Prices List 2018 I 2019Courses Contributor End UserContributor DeveloperPrinciples of TM1 Performance Modeller Analyst

*Cost is subject to courses being run in ourAzure environment. Preconfigured laptopsare available for £350.

Data Warehousing Key Concepts

This workshop will introduce participants to the terms and techniques that are used in the design of a Data Mart or Data Warehouse, which will support complex management reporting requirements. The purpose of this workshop is to take participants with little to no background in Data Warehousing to a functional understanding of the business objectives and technical challenges that are involved in designing and building a Data Warehouse.

Days Cost*

1 £1500

Prices List 2018 I 2019

Courses

Data Warehousing

Training Courses: Data Warehousing

Contact us

Should you have any questions or require any further information regarding our Training Courses, the team at Simpson Associates will be happy to help you with your request.

t: +44 (0) 1904 234 510e: info@simpson-associates.co.ukw: www.simpson-associates.co.uk

BOARD Software Training

This course provides participants with a thorough understanding of the fundamental components of the BOARD Management Information tool kit.

The training course adopts a scenario of a retail business constructing a financial planning model for budgeting and forecasting purposes. Run over 4 days the course will consist of:

Day 1 - Revenue Planning and Databases

• Day one sees the introduction to BOARD,explaining the Database and Capsule sections,along with an introduction to each object.

• The first exercise creates the database that isused to store various BOARD objects for the restof the training course, along with setting thetime range to be used throughout the model.

• The remaining exercises will cover creatingentities, data readers, infocubes, a capsule,dataviews and some simple procedures, aspart of the Revenue Planning section.

Day 2 – Payroll & Overheads

• Day two gives further exercises to practise buildingBOARD objects introduced in day one as part ofcreating the Payroll and Overheads models.

• Relationships between entities will beexplained, which allow aggregation.

• Some more advanced procedures will be createdto produce monthly values from annual payrollvalue inputs, by creating calculations that useinformation entered into another infocube,along with the use of profiles to proportionannual values across time periods.

Day 3 & 4 – Profit & Loss, Security, Excel Add-in & Charts

• Day three and four sees the construction of theProfit & Loss report and data transfer betweenthe Revenue, Payroll and Overheads models.

• The remaining time will be spent showing you how to;

• Apply various levels of security within BOARD.

• Use the workflow process to check which partsof the process have been completed to date.

• Use the Microsoft Excel add in to accessdata stored in a BOARD database.

• Create and format a wide varietyof graphs and charts.

Days Cost*4 £5200

Prices List 2018 I 2019

Courses BOARD Software Training

*Cost is subject to courses being run in ourAzure environment. Preconfigured laptopsare available for £350.

*Cost is subject to courses being run in ourAzure environment. Preconfigured laptopsare available for £350.

Simpson Associates specialises in Information Management.

We operate across all industries and sectors designing,building and deploying Business Intelligence, DataWarehouse, Collaboration, Budgeting and Forecasting,Planning and Consolidation applications.We are used to working with organisations of all sizes.

We have been building applications since we formedin 1991 and we have a wealth of success stories andcustomers. We are partners with the leading vendors inthe field; IBM, Microsoft, Board MIT, HP and WhereScape.We are also affiliated with the SDG Group, extending ourability to resource your projects and giving us the abilityto help with your SAP, Oracle and QlikView projects.

Our approach to project delivery can start at the Strategiclevel, helping to define an Information ManagementBlueprint; continue through Delivery, helping todefine, manage and deliver projects; completing withChange Adoption and Support, helping to embedthe new application practices and supporting thetechnology and infrastructure into the future.

We believe that we are very well equipped to help youto deliver better Performance Management. If youwould like to find out more about what we can dofor you please get in touch or visit our website.

Simpson Associates Information Services Limited Regency House, York Business Park Poppleton, York, North YorkshireYO26 6RW

T: +44 (0) 1904 234 510

E: info@simpson-associates.co.uk

W: www.simpson-associates.co.uk @simassoc Simpson-Associates